Here's what you need to know this morning.
School closed after student tests positive
Bayanami Public School in Parramatta is closed today for cleaning after a child tested positive for COVID-19, the NSW Department of Education says.
The primary school said on-site teaching and before-school and after-school care would be cancelled as health authorities scrambled to trace the child's contacts.
NSW Health is urging people in the Parramatta community who develop symptoms to seek testing at either Jeffrey House Clinic in Parramatta or The Children's Hospital at Westmead.
Parramatta's new vision
Parramatta's future is on public exhibition from today as the NSW Government reveals its plans for "Greater Sydney’s second CBD".
Member for Planning Rob Stokes said he expected the plan would create 50,000 new jobs in Sydney’s west, and 14,000 new homes.
New skyscrapers will bring new heights to the skyline, with buildings reaching the maximum storeys allowed under the region's flight paths.
But the proposal protects public spaces from overshadowing across the middle of the day, including Parramatta Square, Parramatta River foreshore and Jubilee Park.
Pop-up testing in Rushcutters Bay
A pop-up COVID-19 testing clinic opens today in Rushcutters Bay Park from midday following the closure of the yacht club due after two visitors testing positive.
Two people who dined at Thai Rock and the Apollo in Potts Point also visited the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia three times over July 23, 24 and 26.
Another pop-up clinic has also opened in Surry Hills, at 349 Crown Street, which will open seven days a week from 9:00am to 4:00pm.
RFS reveals struggle against 'continuous beast'
Karen Hodges and Stacey Kent have never met, but the two women are bonded by their time in battle against Australia's biggest bushfire blaze in history.
What began as a lightning strike to a single tree, deep within the Wollemi National Park, grew to tear through more than a million hectares, leaving behind charred ground and memories to last a lifetime.
Superintendent Karen Hodges was the RFS Incident Controller for the Gospers Mountain fire, taking the lead on November 11 when the fire was declared a national disaster.
By the next day, it had quadrupled in size to 56,000 hectares.
Samurai sword used in robbery
A service station worker in Lidcombe was faced with a samurai sword during an armed robbery this morning, NSW Police said.
Just after 3:00am a man entered the service station on Parramatta Road and approached the counter before producing the sword.
He threatened the worker and demanded money from the register, which was handed over by the unharmed staff member.
The samurai-sword-wielding man escaped.
Police are appealing to anyone with information to come forward.
Wild weather continues
The State Emergency Service (SES) says the south coast community of Sussex Inlet is still experiencing flooding.
The low pressure weather system is easing, but evacuation orders remain in place for 20 local homes.
David Webber from the SES said he expected water levels to fluctuate throughout the day.
The dangerous low pressure system has caused widespread chaos with heavy rainfall, high seas and damaging winds along the east coast since Saturday.
